Logical partitioning allows for the establishment of a plurality of system images within a single physical machine or central processor complex (CPC). Each system image is capable of operating as if it was a separate computer system. That is, each logical partition can be independently reset, initially loaded with an operating system that may be different for each logical partition, and operate with different software programs using different input/output (I/O) devices.
Examples of logically partitioned computing systems are described in, for instance, Guyette et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,903, entitled “Partitioned Multiprocessor Programming System,” issued Jan. 14, 1996; Bean et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,541, entitled “Logical Resource Partitioning of a Data Processing System,” issued Jun. 27, 1989; and Kubala, U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,040, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Providing a Server Function in a Logically Partitioned Hardware Machine,” issued Oct. 8, 1996, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.